What NOT to do in Your College Dorm Room

Living in a dorm room is all about communication + compromise. Just in case you are new to this whole thing of being a decent human being and coexisting with another person, we’ve got a cheat sheet of what NOT to do in your dorm room, plus some things you SHOULD be doing to be a good roommate and a decent person to live with.

What You SHOULD Be Doing

Clean up after yourself

Make your bed

Go to bed on time

Respect quiet hours

Respect your roommate’s privacy

Be mindful of when your roommate may be sleeping or studying and go elsewhere if need be

Leave cute notes for your roommate to wish them luck on exams and let them know you appreciate them

Take turns doing chores around the dorm

Ask your roommate if they need to go to the bathroom before you take it over to shower

Take the time to get to know them before you acquire false opinions about them

Ask them to hang out with you or go to lunch sometime to bond a little

Enjoy a night in with your roommate every once in a while, instead of going to a party

Split the costs of things that both of you share in the dorm like groceries, cleaning supplies, and food

Keep your stuff in your space

Communicate

HAVE FUN!

What NOT to Do

Leave empty pizza boxes laying everywhere

Leave dirty dishes lying around

Throw your shoes, bags, clothes, or other items everywhere. Please put them away where they belong

Stay up until 2 am blaring music when you know your roommate has an exam the next day

Take what’s not yours

Eat what’s not yours

Bring people over without your roommate’s permission

Bring home a “friend” without your roommate’s permission

Set 5 alarms to wake up for your 8am class. Just get up the first time

Have an obnoxiously loud and annoying alarm ringtone. Put it on vibrate and put it under your pillow

Be unappreciative of your roommate’s efforts to spend time with you, clean, or just being nice

‘Forget’ when it’s your turn to clean up the place and end up making them do it…again

Leave a mess in the microwave from when your ravioli exploded

Take an hour-long shower in the morning when you know your roommate needs to get ready too

Leave stray hairs in the shower

Leave unwrapped feminine hygiene products in the trashcan

Exclude your roommate from everything

Kick them out all the time for some ‘personal time’

Have ‘personal time’ in any area or on anything that is your roommates

***

Just be considerate of your roommate and fellow floor mates. Before doing anything ask yourself, “Would I be okay with them doing this to me?” and if the answer is no, then obviously don’t do it! Have fun in the dorms year and next (thanks OSU for the second year live on requirement that no one asked for).

Marissa Mansfield

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